Keep those fingers busy

Page Tools

It's easy to tap into the volumes of health related information
on the internet. The problem is trying to ascertain whether the
sources can be trusted. And it's hard telling whether the advice
that is handed out so liberally through networks is based on the
latest medical research. This site, presented by the federal
Department of Health, helps solve the dilemma by providing a
directory of links to health websites it has approved. You can type
in a keyword to do a quick search or sift through the links
alphabetically. The site covers an enormous variety of topics, from
conditions and diseases through to nutrition and fitness, life
stages and health services. The beauty of this resource is that the
links are less likely to tempt you with self-diagnosis.

While Google remains the net's most-used search facility, it's
always good to have another web engine a click away to help
research local topics and find web pages. MySearch may be just the
tool you need to satisfy this need. Growing in popularity, it
provides the same sort of uncluttered presentation and
straightforward approach that made Google a hit. Simply type in a
keyword, hit Enter and it fires back the results with a brief text
sample from the pages under each link. An advanced search lets you
focus on categories, websites or shopping, and there is an Adult
Filter to help protect younger surfers. MySearch also provides a
directory (which is far from comprehensive) and a very useful page
that links to news agencies around the world.

When Captain John Slater guided the three-masted trading ship
Boston into Nootka Sound on March 12, 1803, he probably couldn't
have imagined the gift that he brought for Chief Maquinna of the
Nuu-chah-nulth people would be treated as an insult. After
presenting a gun that had a broken lock, the after dinner mints
turned sour. Slater and 25 of his crew were murdered to avenge the
chief's honour and the ship was plundered and torched. So ends one
of the stories of misadventure presented by the very interesting
Shipwreck Times online newspaper, a resource that describes how
scores of vessels were lost in the perilous waters off Vancouver
Island, Canada.

Games publisher Electronic Arts is responsible for some of the
most popular and addictive titles on retail shelves. It also
understands people enjoy playing games on the internet for free.
That's why it has come up with pogo.com, a website that is very
inviting for procrastinators. There is a huge variety of free
browser-based titles to click away the hours, including card games
such as backgammon and bridge, board games such as chess, Shape
Shifter and Alchemy puzzles, sports including PGA Tour Golf and
NASCAR Web Racing and extreme events such SSX SnowDreams and Vert
Skater. Unfortunately, the cash prizes and jackpots are only
available to US and Canadian residents. If you have a pop-up
blocker you won't have to worry about the ads.

In case you missed the results, the new Rock Paper Scissors
world champion is one Lee Rammage of Burlington, Canada. He took
out the grand prize of $C7000 ($7660) for the prestige event that
was held in Toronto last month and covered by CNN, according to the
official competition site. Spectator tickets cost a very affordable
$C16. We're not exactly sure what Burlington has to offer in terms
of sports facilities and other interests but we figure that there
probably isn't a lot going on up there during the colder months.
Our warmest congratulations go to the dexterous Rammage.